Aidan scratched his head and took a second to get his breath back. That’s when he realized that no one was moving and they were all staring at him.

“What?” he asked.

“Well,” Uther said, pointing to the open palace doors, “go on.”

“Wait . . . you want me to go in first? Why? I’m not in charge.”

“With Keita and Branwen gone, of course you are in charge, dragon,” Kachka explained. “You cannot send Zoya. She will call them all imperialist, decadent scum.”

“I will!” Zoya said proudly.

“I cannot do it,” Kachka went on, “because I will also call them imperialist, decadent scum. Nina is just disturbing and untrustworthy.”

“It is true,” Nina replied blandly. “But I like that about myself.”

“And these two”—Kachka gestured to Uther and Caswyn with a jerk of her head—“are idiots.”

“She’s right,” Uther agreed. “We are idiots. You go.”

Growling, but knowing they were all right, Aidan walked in first, and the rest of them followed.

But he had barely stepped inside before he had to stop, gawking at the beauty and, as Zoya had accused, the decadence.

So much decadence.

He didn’t know anyone lived this way, dragons or otherwise.

The entire building was made out of gold and copper. The throne at the very end of the main hall was made out of gold and covered in massive jewels. He had expected the palace to be large, but he’d never known how large it would be. Big enough that dragons Éibhear’s size could be in their natural form and not smash their heads on the ceilings. And based on the design of those ceilings, the other floors were strong enough that dragons could stand without worrying they’d crash through and kill whomever was beneath.

“So much . . . everything,” he whispered.

“You’d lose your soul here, dragon,” Kachka said, patting him on the back. “And those who lose their souls, I and my comrades eventually come to kill.” She winked at him and pushed him forward. “Go now, Aidan the Divine. And introduce us to this Empress of decadence.”

* * *

The counterattack from the Zealots started before dawn.

They sent human fodder to ride directly toward them, screaming out their assault and easily picked off by the archers while Zealots on foot snuck in and cut the throats of still-sleeping soldiers.

But they didn’t have the upper hand for long; those on guard duty sent up an alarm as soon as they realized what was going on.

Her mother’s army pushed the Zealots out of their camp and prepared for another assault.

“This is it,” Talwyn said to her brother.

“I know. Is everyone ready?”

“As ready as they’ll ever be. The Sovereign Army is standing by in the west fields. The Lightning Army is lying in wait in what’s left of the forests. We’ve got dragon armies in the mountains. And our legions everywhere else. They’re never getting out of here,” Talwyn said of the trapped Zealots in Salebiri’s enclosure.

“Don’t get cocky, sister. They still have Chramnesind on their side.”

Her brother was right. And so far their multiple gods hadn’t bothered to help them at all.

The pair walked through the camp, while soldiers ran past them and officers called out orders.

They stopped when they saw Morfyd hugging Uncle Brastias good-bye.

She pointed at the twins. “You two . . . don’t be so reckless. Understand?”

Talan and Talwyn nodded as a mystical doorway suddenly opened by their aunt.

“Rhi!” she called out. “Come on!”

The doorway had been opened by Rhiannon, pulling all the witches to her so they could do their part in a place safe from the Zealot priests and priestesses.

Rhi ran out of a nearby tent with her travel bag and robe flopping behind. She was completely frazzled by the attack and worried for the lives of her kin. Talwyn, however, was glad she wouldn’t have to worry about protecting her younger cousin during the fight.

Rhi stopped to hug her father, her uncles, her great-uncles, her great-aunts, etc., while Morfyd waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. When the tears began, Talwyn moved closer to Morfyd.

Rhi stopped to hug Talan, sobbing on his shoulder and making him promise “not to die . . . ever!” before she came to Talwyn and hugged her.

Her cousin didn’t want to let go. She didn’t want to leave them all. But she needed to be someplace safe, away from here. Away from the Zealots. Talwyn knew this even if Rhi didn’t.

Talwyn pushed her away. “Go. Grandmother’s waiting.”

“Yes. Of course. Oh!” She started back toward her tent. “I forgot my—”

Talwyn grabbed her cousin by the back of her dress and tossed her into the open doorway.

“Talwyn!” her kin gasped, shocked. But if she didn’t do it, no one would.

Thank you, Morfyd mouthed at her before she followed Rhi inside and disappeared, the doorway slamming shut behind them.

Her kin watched her, still appalled by her behavior.

“Gods know someone had to,” she told them before walking off, Talan right behind her. Laughing.

* * *

“I feel like shit,” Brannie moaned.

“Worse than when you were on the boat?” she heard Keita ask from . . . somewhere.

Where were they anyway?

“Mention that boat again . . . and I will kill you.”

Someone put their arm around Brannie’s back and helped her sit up.

“I think you’ll live,” Keita said.

“I don’t believe you. I think I’m dying.”

“You were dying. You feeling like shit, cousin, means you’re getting better.”

“Why are you still talking, Keita? Stop talking.”

“Isn’t she delightful, Bolormaa?” Keita asked another female in the tent.

“I wish you would stop talking, too.”

“Och! All of you are so ungrateful.”

Sitting up with her knees raised, her elbows resting on them so she could cradle her head in her hands, Brannie accused, “You poisoned me, didn’t you?”

“Don’t flatter yourself! You’re not worthy of my poisoning skills. You took a blade to the arm from one of those assassins. They used poison on the edges. In fact, cousin, you’re lucky that I am as talented a poisoner as I am. Isn’t that right, Bolormaa? Tell her! Tell her how I saved her life.”

“Yes,” the shamaness said to Brannie. “Your cousin is such great murderer that she was able to save your life from death.”

“Really?” Keita snapped. “You couldn’t find a nicer way to say that?”

“No. I could not.” She took Brannie’s hand and wrapped it around a cool cup. “This is clean water. Drink. It will help.”

Realizing how thirsty she was, Brannie began to down the water, but Bolormaa stopped her and made her sip instead. It took longer, but once she was done, Brannie couldn’t believe how much better she felt. Worlds better.

“Where are we?” she asked Keita.

“With the Tribes of the Dark Mountain.”

Brannie gawked at Keita. “Were we captured?”

“Well . . . they think they captured us. But I actually found them.”

“Why would you do that? Why are you trying to kill me?”

“Och!” Keita again gasped, her arms flung in the air. “You are always so dramatic!”

Brannie glanced at the old woman tending her but Bolormaa could only shrug.

“You don’t understand, Brannie,” Keita went on. “I have a brilliant plan!”

“Oh, gods, not one of your brilliant plans.”

“You need to trust me.”

“But I don’t trust you. At all!”

“Of course you do. Besides, this new plan will mean I won’t have to kill the Empress and her kin! That’s a good thing, right? You didn’t want me to kill them, right?”

Bolormaa placed a cool cloth against Brannie’s forehead. “Just block her out. You will sleep better when you block her out.”

The tent flap was pulled back and a large man and several soldiers stormed in. They were armed and ready.